Omark sent down to OKC as Tambellini ponders options

UPDATE: Just as this article went to press came the news that the Edmonton Oilers have reassigned Linus Omark to their AHL affiliate, the Oklahoma City Barons.

The Oilers have been winning despite the absence of star winger Ales Hemksy, due to return next week.

There’s a logjam on the starboard side. The Edmonton Oilers have no fewer than four “top six” type players who have lined up as right wingers this year, and I’m not even including Ryan Jones who actually has secured that gig on the tough-minutes line. Jordan Eberle has continued his emergence as an upper-echelon scoring forward, and has nailed down an every game spot on both a scoring line and the powerplay. Meanwhile Lennart Petrell has prospered in a fourth-line spot as a defensive specialist.

That leaves three pretty talented players to battle over a spot on the other line, whether you call it the third line or the secondary scoring line or what have you. First Linus Omark got a few games on the right side with Eric Belanger and Magnus Paajarvi. Five games ago Sam Gagner took Omark’s spot, and while he hasn’t lit the world on fire the Oilers have won all five of those games, so the job is his for now. But all that could change the minute Ales Hemsky, re-injured in the season’s second game, is declared fit.

What to do, what to do? There’s no rush until Hemsky gets back – current forecast is the Montreal game on the 8th (although this is Ales Hemsky we’re talking about so I’ll take the “over” on that one).

Meantime, Linus Omark chomps at the bit, as even in Hemsky’s absence there’s no room at the inn. The writing could be on the wall for the talented Swede, who had the misfortune of being the oldest of four talented rookie wingers last year, the H.O.P.E. quartet. He remains behind all of those guys, as well as Hemsky and Smyth, on what has become a nice depth chart on the wings. Especially since Gagner, normally a centre, has been bumped out to the flank since his return from an ankle injury.

Only once this season (the season opener) have Oilers seen fit/been able to dress even two of Hemsky, Omark, and Gagner. The rest of the time two of the three have been sitting in the pressbox or on the shelf while the Oilers have performed extremely well in their absence.

In his weekly column Ask Matty, Edmonton Journal’s Jim Matheson had this to say about Omark’s situation:

I don’t think it’s fair to write off Omark, who hasn’t done anything wrong but keeps sitting because of numbers. When Hemsky returns in a week, the Oilers will have to do something with the right-winger Omark, who has National Hockey League skill. Unless I’m reading the collective bargaining agreement incorrectly, if Omark plays 60 NHL games, he has to clear waivers to be sent to the Oklahoma City Barons. He’s was too good for the AHL last season. If they’re caring, they’ll deal him somewhere else.

Linus Omark has struggled to find room in the NHL.

Due respect to Omark, but the first thing I want the Oilers to be caring about is what’s best for the team. Maybe that would in fact be to deal him, perhaps get some more ammunition for Stu MacGregor’s annual hunt. It’s hard to envision what would be a fair exchange for Linus, who seems to be a “boom or bust” type player. If he turns out to be Miro Satan, Oilers lose the deal; if instead he’s Tony Salmelainen, they win it. Or maybe Steve Tambellini evaluates a while longer. If I’m reading Matty’s take on the CBA correctly, Oilers can send him back to OKC now, but if he played even four more games they couldn’t. So maybe now is the time to do that … or as soon as Hemsky gets back.

Hard to imagine a trade involving Omark alone would get a huge return. My best guess is right now he might draw a mid-round pick, a prospect at another position, or an established bottom-tier player. Not sure how badly Oilers need any of those, truth be told. Closer to the deadline he might draw interest from a rebuilding team who might be willing to dump an expiring contract of a decent player in exchange. (Think: Salmelainen for Jaro Spacek) Of course it’s a very long way from here to there, which is one of the reasons to wait. Who knows whether Oilers might be buyers or sellers as the season wears on.

All three of Omark, Gagner and Hemsky are on the last years of their respective deals. Oilers retain RFA rights on Omark ($0.875 MM in 2011-12) and Gagner ($2.275 MM), while Hemsky is destined to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1. He’s in the richest year of his six-year contract, a $4.1 MM cap hit but a $5.0 MM salary which is likely the starting point for an extension. Alas, his continuing health issues have robbed much of the value out of his “value contract”, and cast an ominous shadow over his next pact, wherever it might be. It’s hard to imagine there’s much interest in Ales on the trade front, at least until he comes back and puts his shoulder miseries in the rear view.

Sam Gagner's preseason ankle injury opened the door for both Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Anton Lander to claim spots down the middle.

Of the three Gagner likely carries the highest trade value. He’s younger than Omark, but with an established NHL track record. He’s relatively inexpensive (as hockey players go) and can’t become UFA until 2013 at soonest.

Of course in Sam’s case the Oilers have the option of moving him back into the middle, and it remains possible the guy to be bumped from the line-up when Hemsky returns is Anton Lander as opposed to another RW. Lander could even be sent down to OKC at such time as the forwards corps ever became entirely healthy – as if! – but for now Lander appears to be more in Coach Renney’s good graces than is Omark.

Still and all, it’s hard to remember the last time Oilers’ had roster issues caused by too many good players as opposed to not enough. While the temptation might be to deal from strength up front to address presumed weaknesses in the back end, fact is Oilers have been winning with the current roster in place, their defensive play has far exceeded expectations, and the club’s biggest shortcoming to date has been a lack of offence. So why trade offensive players? My guess is that Steve Tambellini will continue to wait and see, unless Omark’s camp somehow forces the issue.

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